Whenever I turn on the computer, and it gets to the desktop, I get all these popup messages like "Your computer might be at risk", and "New upgrades are ready to install", and every time I click to close, another message pops up telling you something different. How can I get rid of these annoying messages, so they don't appear every time you boot your PC?

Are they Microsoft messages, or are they a sales pitch that if you go to this website they can fix things for you?

First job to do, go here. ActiveX Spyware & Adware Scanning http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php This scanner is an ActiveX applet. After a short delay in which your browser downloads the control file, you will receive a "Warning Dialogue" requesting permission for the scanner to run. Click "Yes" and the applet will pop up and scan. You will be alerted if any spyware is found. When a spyware or malware is found, you will be alerted and asked if you want to remove it. If no spyware is found, the scanner will disappear on its own. If nothing happens, or if you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, click here and choose either "Open" or "Run this program from its current location". Do not choose "Download". http://www.xblock.com/download/xclean_micro.exe ================================== Malware Removal and Prevention: Introduction http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction Malware Removal and Prevention: Overview http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Overview If Your PC is Infested w/ Spyware & Adware... http://spywarewarrior.com/sww-help.htm http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=6914 http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=10 http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=30 ==================================== Important: Create a specific folder on your hard drive called HijackThis to keep its backups. You can do this by going to My Computer (Windows key+e) then double click on C: then right click and select New then Folder and name it HijackThis. Download and unzip HijackThis.exe into this folder. http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html Or, http://tomcoyote.com/hjt/ =================================== If possible run HJT in Normal mode ( not Safe ) with all your normal startup's working. HijackThis Tutorial - How to Analyse your own log. http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=3624 HijackThis log file analysis ( online ) http://hijackthis.de/index.php?langselect=english Or, http://startup.networktechs.com/page-68.html http://hjt.iamnotageek.com

They are messages pertaining to stuff like the Windows firewall, and Windows update, sometimes, messages from my antivirus as well.

I don't like the sound of messages like: "Your computer might be at risk" They sound like sales talk to me, so it's likely that you have some nasty or other in your system. Some of them tamper with your Anti-virus/malware programs which might account for the other messages. As a minimum, download, update and run Ad-Aware (from Lavasoft) and get all your Windows and Anti-Virus updates. A full scan with your AV would be worthwhile. You could also download "SpyBot Search & Destroy". Both this and Ad-Aware are free. You have already been given a stack of other things in post #2, so I won't "go on" LOL. DerekW

Hi, It sounds like you have got windows messenger running, Go to this link for Shoot the messenger a little program to turn it off Bob

There is nothing sinister about those messages. "Your computer might be at risk" is the standard Microsoft message you get when Windows Security detects, or thinks it detects, you have no anti-virus software installed, or if you have disabled the built in Windows Firewall, and it pops up if you have installed SP2 (I don't know if Security is present in SP1 - it might be). The settings for Security are in Control Panel - Security. "New upgrades are ready to install" or " Updates are ready for your computer" is the standard Microsoft pop up if you have Auto Update enabled and there are updates on the Microsoft Update site for your computer, and the "Notify Me ........" option is selected - you can turn Auto Update off, or have it on and automatically install the updates without prompting you, etc. Settings in Control Panel - Automatic Updates. You can find out how to get rid of some pop-ups at places such as here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp (use the Search feature, and "pop-up", or the exact message, etc.)